Below is a follow-up email dated February 13 to Marsha Leese, Idaho Power employee, the day after the tour through Malheur County with IPCo officials, members of the SIP Board of Directors, and county officials.
Good morning, Marsha -
Thank you once again for the significant commitment in time and expense you and others from Idaho Power made in order to tour with us here in Malheur County yesterday. We were pleased to be able to show you the agricultural heart and basis of this country and explain a number of issues the B2H transmission line presents for us.
We would like to request that on the maps Mike Berry showed us at the end of the day no alternative which involves Exclusive Farm Use-zoned (EFU) land in Malheur County be labeled as a Stop Idaho Power (SIP) alternative of any kind. We are glad you are trying to find alternatives that might be satisfactory to our county; however, we remain committed to the goal that no EFU land in Malheur County be used for the B2H transmission line. Our Alternative 2 could have a number of modifications, all of which would be predominantly on federal land to the west of Adrian and Vale and none of which appeared to be on your maps as viable alternatives. Our Alternative 2 goes to Grassy Mountain and turns north toward Huntington Junction; at no point does it turn back to the east and go into Idaho to access the Sand Hollow substation. Please remove the SIP Alternative label from any alternatives on any maps released to the public or as part of the planning process which shows the line going back to the east and on EFU land.
The Idaho Press-Tribune last week (February 6) indicates that Eric Hackett refers to the project Web site which states that "federal lands are not expected to meet the overall goals or project purpose and need." Based on the maps shown to us last night, you appear to remain committed to not using federal lands primarily for this project. We understand your goals for this line to be the shortest route over the fewest number of people while accessing a distribution substation between Sand Hollow and the Snake River in Idaho.
We look forward to additional dialogue with Idaho Power as this project progresses.
Regards, Roger
